Broken Body, Shattered Heart
by xXMystery PrincessXx
Summary: "Love you...Aspenlight..." Molefoot reached out a paw and tenderly pressed it to her belly. "Take care...of them..."


Aspenlight snuck through the undergrowth, her jaws open for scents. Her silver pelt glowed in an unearthly fashion in the moonlight. The other cats were at the Gathering tonight. But not her. She had requested to Snowleaf that she search for more catmint before the onset of leaf-bare. Snowleaf had been suspicious, but hadn't argued.

Aspenlight leapt up into a tree and waited, ears pricked and mouth open.

Slow, cautious movement caught her eye.

"Aspenlight?" Molefoot called hesitantly. His cream and brown pelt blended in with the brambles. "Are you here?"

"Up here." She stepped forward, out of the leaves, so he could see her. "Did anyone see you leaving?"

"I don't care if they did," he purred. He bunched his haunches and launched himself up next to her. "You're beautiful in the moonlight." He licked her ear.

She sighed and looked away. "I'm sorry, Molefoot. I'm so sorry."

"What? Why?" He looked hurt and frightened, even though she hadn't said why she was sorry. He knew something was wrong.

"Molefoot, we can't keep doing this. I'm a medicine cat. It's already gone too far."

He was speechless. "But…But Aspenlight… I love you."

She looked up, agony piercing her blue eyes. "Don't make this hard on yourself. It's my fault, not yours. Everything is my fault." Slowly, she lowered her head and awkwardly shifted her position. He couldn't know, shouldn't know.

Molefoot nosed her. "Aspenlight…" She could tell his heart was aching, and it made her feel even worse.

"I love you so much, Molefoot." She licked his face and attempted to ignore the shifting kits in her belly. It was as if they were crying out for her to stop hurting their father.

He pulled away. "Then why, Aspenlight? Why do we have to end it?" He appeared so horrified by her actions, she couldn't bear it.

"I—I can't say, Molefoot. It's a secret between me and StarClan."

"StarClan!" he spat. "They told you to do this!" He backed away, his trembling body barely able to balance him precariously on the branch

"No!" She moved closer. "They never intended on this happening. Especially not for you to get hurt so badly." A tortured sigh exited her lungs. "You're such an honorable warrior, Molefoot. Too honorable for me to hurt you like this. I'm so sorry."

The branch quaked as Molefoot juddered harder. Then, slowly, as if time stopped, his back paws slipped off. He began thrashing violently, half in air, front paws clinging to the branch. Then, as his gleaming amber eyes met hers, he sheathed his front claws.

Aspenlight screeched, "No!" and dove forward, snagging his scruff. His whole weight made her neck ache with a fire. She couldn't move; she wasn't strong enough to pull him up, and wasn't cowardly enough to release him and let him fall.

"Let…me…fall…" he moaned. Aspenlight couldn't respond as she felt her forepaws begin to slip. _If we're going down, we're going together_.

Molefoot wrenched his head up to meet her eyes. "Please, Aspenlight. For our kits."

Pain of the choice shuddered through her as she realized he had guessed her secret, and she slowly slackened her grip with her teeth. There was a sickening thump as he hit the ground; he'd fallen too quickly to properly get his legs beneath him, and even if he had the impact would have shattered them.

She slowly, carefully, scaled downward, jumping from branch to branch, before hurtling over to where he had fallen.

"Molefoot…" she cried. "Molefoot, I can't do this alone. I love you!" She licked his face, willing his amber eyes to open and give her that warm, loving stare.

Slowly, as if it took much effort, they did. The fiery blaze of love still remained. "Aspenlight…are you…okay?"

She couldn't believe it. She'd broken his heart and shattered his body, but he still cared about her. "No… No! Molefoot, I need you! I'm not whole without you! Please, stay!" Anguish echoed throughout her, as if she were hollow. But then her unborn kits squirmed, and she knew they already hated her.

"Love you…Aspenlight…" He stretched his paw toward her and gently pressed her belly. "Take care…of them…"

"No! I can't! Not without you! They need you!" She slowly felt her legs give out beneath her and she collapsed next to him. "_I_ need you. I love you. _Live_, Molefoot. You must _live_."

His eyes were already sparkling with starlight. "I'll wait…forever…" Once more, the flaming orbs focused on her. "Silverkit… For I walk in Silverpelt…"

Snowleaf said nothing. She didn't congratulate her former apprentice. She didn't talk of pride, or joy, or apprenticeship, or mentors. She merely pushed a few herbs forward, turned, and exited the nursery.

Aspenlight stared at the kits in front of her. She had given everything for them. Everything: her mate, her calling as a medicine cat, her pride, her reputation…yet she had never been happier as she gazed at them.

Featherwing looked at her with friendly curiosity. She owed a lot to the silver queen, the first to accept her back into the Clan after she admitted she was expecting kits and stated that she no longer wanted to be a medicine cat.

"What will you name them?" Featherwing asked gently.

Aspenlight blinked, and once more looked at them. The cream and brown tom was obvious. "Molekit." The silver tabby she-kit, too, was simple. "Silverkit." But squirming at her belly was a splotched gray tom and a creamy brown mottled tabby she-kit that still remained nameless. "Maplekit, for her father fell from a maple tree." She gestured to the she-kit with her tail. But, remaining was the splashed tom. She thought hard. It was a difficult job for a single cat.

Thoughts plagued her. _Brokenkit, for Molefoot's broken body. Fallenkit, for he fell from a maple tree. Hollowkit, because you are hollow without him. Deadkit, because Molefoot is dead. Shatteredkit, for you shattered his heart._

"Skykit," Aspenlight decided. "His father prowls and hunts the skies."


End file.
